Broken Rock Bay (Clan of the Ice Mountains Book 3) Page 23

  He turned back to the water, careful not to disturb their connection. He saw the couples standing again, looking as if they’d just gone under for a moment. They men lifted the women into their arms and proceeded up to the shore once again, standing between two fires lit along the bank.

  “Now watch,” Meavu said, and she removed her hand.

  The people disappeared! Attu stared at the still dark water. A moment passed. Then another. Then the couples were standing again, the men lifting the women out of the water into their arms and walking back up to the shore, standing again between the two fires.

  Attu turned to his sister, his eyes wide.

  Meavu looked pleased. She smiled at him, nodding her head. He started to speak, but she laid a finger across his lips. “Yes, first you saw the future with me, then the Here and Now. That is my Gift. I see what will happen as if it is already happening. Sometimes, just a moment before, like this time. Rarely, I See far into a future I do not understand. I couldn’t explain what I See, so I thought I would try to show you. I’m glad I was able to.”

  “But...” Attu closed his mouth. What can I say in response to what I just witnessed?

  “There is more. But that is the strangest part of what I See.” Meavu moved to stand next to Rovek.

  Attu turned back toward the ritual. He felt disoriented from seeing the future then the present, one set of images after the other, exactly the same. It was overwhelming. He wondered how Meavu dealt with it.

  “Watch this next part,” Rika said. “Soantek has a surprise for the couples. Even his own men don’t know what’s about to happen.”

  “How do you?” Attu asked.

  “Hush. Just watch.”

  Soantek signaled with his hand, and the drums stopped. The last beat echoed back from the surrounding trees and Soantek stood, his arms raised, letting the silence envelope him. He waited a long time, until first a night bird called, then the insects in the long grass by the river started humming again.

  “What is he waiting for?” Attu asked, but Rika ignored him. She was watching the sky overhead.

  Then Attu sensed it. Or them. Three dark shapes were hovering about a spear’s throw above the heads of the couples as they stood, the women now standing beside their men again.

  And each one has something in its beak. Falcons! Attu’s mind went out of its own accord, reaching toward the birds that hovered just above them.

  Stop it! Keanu’s voice hit him like a spear, throwing him back into his body. This is hard enough to do without your meddling.

  Attu’s pulled himself back, at once hurt and angry.

  What’s going on?

  The world above them exploded in light. Each of the birds had dropped what they’d been carrying, and as their loads fell, the powders they’d been holding mixed, and like the ones Farnook had used against the Ravens, they ignited, lighting up the air over the couples. Several people screamed as the bright blue and orange flames fell harmlessly from the sky, burning to nothing before they reached the men and women standing there.

  A moment of shocked silence followed the last of the falling light. Then the Nukeena erupted in shouts of excitement and congratulations.

  “Blessed by water and fire,” Rika said, turning to Attu and reaching up to plant a quick kiss on his cheek.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were in on this part?” Attu knew his voice sounded petulant, but after his earlier conversation with Keanu and then Seeing the future through Meavu’s Gift, Attu was feeling overwhelmed.

  “I wanted to surprise everyone, including you!” Rika seemed oblivious to Attu’s feelings, moving away from him toward the others who were now gathering in two long rows through which the couples would walk. As the newly-bonded pairs moved slowly down the middle, between the lines of Nuviks, Attu’s people hurled insults at the couples. Attu couldn’t believe what they were saying. And when the last of the Nukeena couples went past, the last Nuviks in the line ran up to the front to hurl more insults, so the line seemed never-ending.

  Are they going to do this all the way back to camp? Attu stood watching, mute with shock. What is all this about? Why didn’t anyone tell me about this part of the ritual? That’s what it has to be. Here I am, the leader of these people, and I’ve been gone less than two moons, and they’re doing all these things without even telling me about them? Attu felt his spirit falling into a dark and angry place.

  “Come, my son,” his mother turned from her place in line as she called out to him. “You look like you just choked on a fish bone. Didn’t one of the Nukeena hunters tell you about this part of the ritual? Dran told us all about it while you were away.” Yural studied her son. “What’s wrong?”

  “I saw the future, through Meavu.”

  “You did?” Yural seemed as shocked to hear this as he had been to experience it. She dropped out of her place, holding back with Attu for the moment. “I wonder how that could be? Does Keanu or Tingiyok–”

  “They know nothing that seems of any importance to me right now. Keanu is afraid to help me learn to blend with an animal’s mind. And I don’t blame her. It could get us both killed or make us both crazy. I feel like I’m the leader who knows nothing. I didn’t know about Rika’s help with the bonding, I didn’t know Keanu was controlling the falcons, I didn’t know these Nukeena taunt the newly-bonded pairs.”

  “Rika just wanted to surprise you. Keanu was working with Soantek on the ritual, and I don’t think she told anyone except Rika about her part in it because Rika had to make more of the exploding light powder. And the Nukeena must have thought they’d told you with everyone else. I’m sorry, my son,” Yural said. “Your recent struggle with experiencing things you could never do before is frightening to me. I have been praying about it. We need to talk. Your father and I must try to help you with these Gifts. I must ask the spirits to give you what you need to handle what is happening to you. Your father will stand for you with the spirits as well. We will do what we can.”

  Attu felt relieved at his mother’s words; if anyone else could help him, it was Yural and Ubantu.

  Attu looked around and realized he’d been scowling as he saw that several Nukeena and Nuviks were looking at him. The procession had stopped.

  “In the meantime, since this is the way of the Nukeena...” Attu looked a question at his mother.

  Attu followed as Yural explained, “You say all the bad things that could happen to them as they walk back to camp. If they walk through these misfortunes, tragedies, and other bad things now, the Nukeena believe the newly-bonded pair won’t have to walk through them later in life. They’ll have already survived them on their bonding day.”

  Attu walked to where Rika was standing, near the end of the line. She smiled at him, turning to Cray and Caanti as they came through the line. “May your canoe leak in the open ocean.”

  That was a horrible thing to say.

  But Cray grinned at her.

  “See?” Rika said. “He liked it. Now he believes his canoe will never leak in the open ocean. He has ‘walked through it’. Try it, Attu!”

  Attu did his best to hurl an insult or two at the last few couples but all he could think of was, “May your fishing line break and your shelter collapse in the rain.”

  Dran, who was walking by at the time with Hartik, looked at Attu in disgust.

  “Sorry,” Attu murmured and turned away.

  Rika giggled and let him go, waddling as fast as she could to the front of the line to hurl more insults at the couples.

  One more time through the line, and the insults became more outrageous and bawdy. Nuviks and Nukeena alike were laughing and slapping their thighs; lips were popping and the Nukeena were making their throaty call. The lines broke up and everyone started walking back toward the camp, still laughing and talking.

  “Are we done now?” Attu asked. Ubantu had come up beside him, and the two were walking behind Rika and Yural as the two women headed back to camp, deep in conversation.

  Ub
antu slowed, letting Yural and Rika get farther ahead of them. He turned to Attu, rolling his eyes like Meavu used to do when she was many moons younger, and said in a high voice, “No, Attu. Don’t you know? Now there is the dancing. It will last until next sun.”

  Attu laughed as his father completed the imitation of Meavu as a young girl, batting his eyelashes at Attu and smiling shyly. “Dance with me?” He twirled around. Watching his father with his wide, short build, spinning like a girl with his hands in the air, made the last of Attu’s dark mood melt away. He guffawed at his father’s antics.

  “What are you two doing?” Yural called back.

  “Nothing,” Ubantu and Attu answered guiltily as Ubantu lowered his hands, now walking in his most manly way.

  Attu snorted.

  “Hurry up! We don’t want to miss the dancing,” Rika added, the excitement evident in her high voice.

  Both men popped their lips, and Attu clenched his teeth to keep himself from bursting into laughter again. Attu felt his spirit lifting briefly. His father placed a hand on his shoulder, and the two walked in silence for a while.

  As Ubantu continued to walk slower and slower, the two fell farther and farther behind. They were trudging along at such a slow pace that Attu thought Ubantu must be feeling as weary as he was of all the things they’d had to do in these last two moons, ever since they’d saved the Nukeena. Attu would be glad when they were gone and his Clan could get back to their normal selves once again. He wanted to head north. He wanted his people to start acting like they used to, although with so many women with child, perhaps that was impossible to ask for. This bonding ritual was too much with all the rest his people had been willing to do for the Nukeena.

  I’m just tired, and these odd rituals don’t make sense to me. Perhaps Father is tired of it all, too. His suspicions were confirmed when Ubantu stopped in the path. He scowled, like Suka did when he was being his most difficult, growling self. “I’d rather be pulling tuskie meat across biter infested grassland,” he snarled, “than go back to our camp for dancing.”

  Attu turned his grin into a grunt and faced his father in the path. He scowled and in his own imitation of his cousin said, “Give me biters and heat any day over this craziness.”

  They walked the rest of the way to the celebration while Attu explained to his father what Keanu had said, what Meavu had shone him, and what Yural had promised.

  “I don’t know what we can do to help with these Gifts, since your mother and I have none, but Yural is a wise woman, and I know she will pray to the spirits for guidance. And I will try to convince Keanu to teach you, if you believe it’s the only way to keep you from getting lost when your mind leaves you and you cannot fight hard enough to make it come back.”

  Ubantu put his arm around his Attu’s shoulders. “But do not underestimate your hunter’s strength, my son; you are stronger than you know. Pray to Attuanin to keep you safe, for the sake of your woman and your child. He will give you what you need; I feel it in my spirit. Your name spirit will help you, my son.”

  Chapter 18

  “I think we can be ready to leave in three suns,” Yural said. “I’ve spoken with the other women, and that’s all the time they’ll need to finish drying the blue berries, and the fish that has been smoking will be done next sun. That will leave just the shelters. Normally, I would say two days, but we can’t move as quickly as we used to now most of us are over six moons into our time.”

  Rika nodded her agreement. The two women walked away, Meavu joining them as they moved to begin packing.

  Farnook approached the high tide area of the beach where Attu had been talking with Yural and the others. Most of the other Nuvik men were working with Attu, each on their skin boats, readying them for the journey north. “Cray and Soantek would like to speak with you.”

  “Is this about Bashoo?” Attu had encouraged the man to come with them, and he’d seemed eager to do so, but Farnook had said he needed permission from his Clan leader to leave if he wanted to leave with honor. Attu hoped Cray and Soantek would have no objections.

  At the Nukeena fire, Soantek sat beside Cray. Bashoo was nowhere in sight.

  Perhaps I was wrong and Bashoo doesn’t want to come with us after all. Suka will be very disappointed.

  Over the last few days since the Nukeena bonding ceremony, Suka had spent much time with Suanu and Brovik. Attu knew his cousin was growing very fond of the little poolik, who reminded Attu so much of Kinak, even as a toddler. His eyes were just like his father’s, and when Attu looked into them it felt like a part of Kinak hadn’t died. For Suka, it would be like losing Kinak all over again to see Brovik leave for the south with the Nukeena.

  “Come. Sit.” Cray offered a place beside the fire, and Attu sat. Farnook stayed standing nearby, where she could face them all and interpret. Attu had learned much of the Nukeena tongue as they traveled to the Raven camp and back, and he knew Cray spoke Nuvik quite well now. But it’s good to have her translate whenever the discussion is important. And from the serious looks on these Nukeena hunters’ faces, this one is.

  The men exchanged a few polite phrases, commenting on the weather and the hunting. Then Cray leaned forward. “We have something vital to our people to ask you and one more request of you, leader of the People of the Waters.”

  “Ai,” Attu said. “Please ask.” He kept his face calm as his spirit inside was making his stomach sink. We want to leave. And although we’ve done well together, we want to leave you... let this question and request not take up any more of our precious time. I want to get our women north to the Broken Rock Bay and our new home. I need to see it for myself. What if it’s not right for us? Then I’ll need time for us to find somewhere else...

  Attu. Farnook spoke into his mind. It’s all right. Just listen to what they have to say.

  Attu pulled himself back to the Here and Now. The others were staring at him. He nodded his head as if he’d been listening the whole time. “Continue,” he said.

  Farnook frowned as she quickly repeated what she’d just translated while Attu was not paying attention. “The Nukeena are telling us they have decided to stay here after we leave, if it’s all right with our Clan. They felt they needed to make sure it was since we were here first.”

  “Stay here? Don’t you have a camp much farther south? Don’t you want to return there?”

  “No,” Cray said. “Soantek and I both believe our old settlement is now cursed since so many of our people died there. Soantek has spoken with your spiritual woman, Yural.” Farnook translated then said something to Cray. “Ai,” he said. “She is also your mother.”

  “Ai,” Attu nodded.

  “They agree.” Cray made the sign of two hands clasping at the fingers.

  “Nukeena want remain here,” Soantek spoke in Nuvik. “Good bay, good river, good place for shelters. Sabotta Nukeena stay.”

  “If Yural says you should not go back to your old camp, then you shouldn’t,” Attu said. “She is wise in the ways of the spirits. It is better that you stay. Ai. Fuva noshi here.” Attu spread his arms out to encompass the bay, the forest, and the river.

  “Here life was saved,” Soantek added, switching to Nukeena, Farnook translating. “Here we met friends who helped us gain back our lost women, new women, and new families.” He raised his hands to the sky. “Here we bonded our men and women. This place is blessed. From here the Nukeena will go out to hunt the whales and return to their women rich in meat and blubber.”

  Farnook looked perplexed. She asked Soantek a question, and he replied. Farnook’s eyes grew wide. She spoke again in Nukeena, this time to Cray. He nodded.

  “Attu,” Farnook said. She looked confused and paused before continuing. “Soantek is not staying. This is their true request. With your permission, Soantek is coming with us.”

  Attu shot a disbelieving look at Soantek. Cray was studying the man as well. His face remained emotionless as he nodded his head. “And I ask permission,” Soantek spoke sl
owly in Nuvik, as if what he said was memorized, “of Clan leader of the People of Waters, to bond with Keanu, if she will have me for her man.”

  Farnook looked as shocked as Attu was. A man who is as strong a spiritual leader as Soantek doesn’t just leave his own people, she mind spoke to Attu. Why isn’t he asking to take Keanu with him? And why does Cray seem so willing to let him go?

  I don’t know. Attu tried to keep the rest of his thoughts to himself. But Keanu’s my only chance to learn to use this Gift of entering the minds of animals without dying from it before I can learn to control it. Did she tell him that? Is that why he’s now willing to leaving his own Clan? I’ve never even seen them together. And Soantek was gone with me to the Ravens. How could the two of them have made such a serious decision so quickly?

  Attu couldn’t believe the self-sacrifice that would accompany such an action. And he wondered at Cray’s willingness to let his spiritual leader go. He studied Soantek and Cray, trying to think of any ulterior motive they might have to send Soantek with them. But Attu could think of none.

  “I must speak with Keanu,” Attu said, working to regain his composure and not let Soantek know how much his request had unbalanced him. “No one, not even the Clan leader, can order a woman to bond with any man. I must make sure she is willing.”

  Soantek smiled, and Attu saw he at once understood what he was asking and how surprised Attu was about his request. “I think you will find her most willing, Attu,” Farnook translated Soantek’s words, her voice shaky.

  “Ai,” Cray said. “Bashoo comes with you also. This has been decided.”

  “Ai,” Attu said. “I am happy to hear that news. Thank you. We will let you know about Keanu.” Attu rose abruptly and walked back to the Nuviks’ camp.

  “I told him the only way I would bond with him was if he came with us,” Keanu said. Attu had found her in the clearing by the river, sitting on a rock and dangling her feet into the current. “At first he kept trying to convince me to go with them. And with what’s been happening with Veshria, well,” Keanu shrugged, “I admit I was tempted to say yes. It would be so much easier for everyone if I were simply gone. Except you.” Keanu looked up at Attu. They were sitting at the edge of the river now, in some grass. Keanu nervously ran her hands over its short tufts.